Jarry solid again as Penguins beat Jets to end perfect trip

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Connor (81) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (AP)

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Danton Heinen scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, Tristan Jarry allowed one goal after back-to-back shutouts, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Monday night.

Dominic Toninato scored on Jarry in the first period, but that was it as Jarry finished with 30 saves after posting shutouts in the first two games of Pittsburgh’s three-game Canadian trip, at Montreal and Toronto.

Jason Zucker and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins, whose perfect road swing followed a three-game skid.

“He’s playing with great confidence and that’s huge for us,” Zucker said of Jarry. “We knew that over the summer he was going to take himself very seriously, and the training seriously, and come back and want to have a statement year. And this trip, I think, was huge for him.”

Connor Hellebuyck had 33 saves for Winnipeg, which lost its third straight and fell to 7-2-1 at home.

“I didn’t like our game tonight,” the Jets’ Kyle Connor said. “I think we could have come out a lot better. A bit sloppy, missed passes, kind of circling, and not staying under pucks.

“I mean, the last three or four games now, I don’t think we’ve really generated too much.”

Jarry robbed Toninato early in the first, but midway through the period, Toninato ended the goalie’s shutout streak when he got a loose puck and fired in a low shot.

“We got on our heels a little bit in the first period,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “Give (the Jets) credit, they came out hard on their toes and they’re a talented team, but I thought we did a pretty good job just grabbing hold of ourselves and just try to turn the momentum a little bit, just simplifying the game.”

Zucker tied the game with 5:31 left in the second, scoring six seconds after a Pittsburgh power play ended with a high shot that beat Hellebuyck on the glove side.

Hellebuyck was tested early in the third period, turning aside three Pittsburgh shots in the first minute.

It was a rebound that foiled him.

Chad Ruhwedel took a shot from the point and Heinen skated to the front of the net, putting in the rebound for a 2-1 lead at 3:33.

Guentzel added a late empty-netter. He’s on a six-game points streak with five goals and two assists.

“The shots are there, the zone time is there, but we are not heavy enough net front,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “But we’re talking about a period, for me.

“Before we blow this thing up, we had a tough third period here. We were pretty good other than that.”

UP NEXT

Penguins: Host Vancouver on Wednesday night.

Jets: A three-game trip begins Wednesday at Columbus.